The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-02
MAKING GREAT GUNS.
DESCRIPTION OF KRUPP'5 FAMOUS
ESTABLISHMENT At ESSEN.


of a Century Ago-A Single Work
shop Then-A City OF Factories Now
The Beautiful Krupp Villa-Notes of
Personal Interest.
Correspondence Washington Ereaiug Star.
DUSSELDORF, GER, July 22-The receipt
of a letter from Fred. Krupp, informing me
that he had assumed control of the Krupp
works at Essen and the vast estate of his
father, the late Alfred Krupp, reminds me
of nv promise to send the Star few lines
in regard to this celebrated establishment
that holds such an important position in the
business world. 1t is located at Essen, on
the Ruhr, within the consular district of
Dusseldorf, and is not only the largest of its
kind in Germany but is said to be the largest
in the world. Acres OF ground are covered
hv buildings and they are filled with the
most improved machinery and appliances
of every kind for the manufacture of guns.
eun-carriages, machinery and tools. The
contracts OF the company extend over the
entire world, with every nation, and the
number of their employees steadily at work
is now about 10000. Orders are at present
being filled by the works for the United
States in connection with the new ships for
the navy and on private account their ship
menus every Wcth W Ullc DOTtS Ol
of steel, iron machinery and tools are eaor-
nous.
THE WORKS AT ESSEN,
some five miles from the Krupp villa. are
encircled by heavy brick walls Watchmen
are at every gate and officials in uniform are
everywhere. Admission is denied to all ex-
cept those on special business, accompanied
by an attendant. The Krupp colony, with
families, aggregates over 10000. The en-
ployes are CHARTERED in a city adjoining the
works, numbering thousands of houses The
best order prevails and the wants of the
people are supplied by bake-houses, stores,
mills, slaughter-houses, schools, hospitals,
churches and boarding -houses-in reality an
entire city, belonging solely to Krupp and
the works The establishment has an army
of officials, among the number persons who
have occupied high positions in the affairs
of state and who came to Krupp, preferring
his service to that of the government. 1t IS
the largest establishment of the kind in the
world owned by a single individual, and the
entire estate is left to one son, Fred. Alfred.
Krupp.
The entire business of Krupp has of late
been in the hands of chief manager, at
salary of $4,000 per annum, with a corps
of able assistants at high salaries, and nei-
ther the elder nor young Krupp has of late
Ddh6H d VERY dCUlNc DdIU III IDb
management
THE ELDER KRUPP
was over Is years of age at the time of his
death, which occurred July H. The cir
cumstances attending his death are some
what painful. He was estranged from his
wife for some reason unknown to the pub
lie, and his son and only heir, Fred Krupp,
a man about 40 years of age, was with his
wife at Heidelberg sick. The old gentle
man, with his millions, died at his villa
alone, in the solitude of the forest that sur
rounds the place, without relative or friend
near, and attended in his last moments only
by the servants that were usually in the
household. .
THE BEAUTIFUL KRUPP VILLA.
He lived and died at his villa, Hugel, on
the Ruhr, magnificent building of great
dimensions, located upon an eminence, sur
rounded by 800 acres of land, beautifully
laid out in parks, drives, lawns, etc. the
building commanding an extended view of
the surrounding country, 'the valley of the
Ruhr.n The interior of the villa is a mar
vel of elegance and taste on a grand scale,
and few buildings in the empire can be
found that are in such perfect proportion
and that contain so many curiosities and
works of art In one of the rooms may be
seen a mirror, in size 7x10 feet, most per
feet and beautiful looking glass, which,
upon close inspection, is found to be made
Of polished cast-steel. 1t is costly work
and said to be the only one of the kind in
existence. Numbers of other great ouriosi-
ties could be mentioned, but neither time
nor space will permit.
Mr.. Krupp, even within few days of his
death, was busy in the laboratory that ad-
joins his villa with experiments and the de-
Velopment of new ideas in connection with
his vast interests. He was said to be the
richest man and the largest taxpayer in the
German empire. A title of nobility was
offered by the German government to him,
which he declined. AS late as 1854 his en-
tire force (which now numbers 10000 was
but $40 workmen, and his extensive estab-
lishment but a 1.-THE of what it at present is
He was undoubtedly one of the most re-
markable men of the times Kings and
princes have shown him great respect, and
nations have sought his workshops in times
of peace as well as war. Upon the an
nouncement of his death messages of con-
dolence were sent to the family from the
Emperor, Prince Bismarck, the Crown
Prince of Germany and other high officials,
and number of dignitaries attended the
funeral, among them the President OF Rhein-
Prussia and other officials of the govern
ment from this and other places. Many
years ago ldLc WLlle
on foreign service, having great desire to
see Mr.. Krupp and his famous establish
ment, in company with Commodore Har-
mony, the present Chief of the Bureau of
Yards and Docks, Navy Department, then
young officer, came up the valley of the
Rhur to Essen and visited Mr. Krupp. They
were received by him with courtesy and
kindness, and left greatly impressed with
what they had seen, particularly in the line
OF ordnance and gunmaking.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE KRUPP WORKS
was small shop, erected over 70years ago
on the site of the present works at Alien
Essen, run by water power, where for 16
years, from 1910 to 1896 Fred. Krupp, the
father of the deceased, assisted by but two
workmen spent his time and what means
he had in trying to invent new method for
producing crucible cast-steel. The elder
Krupp died in 1926, 80 years Of age, after a
life of hardship, in which he sacrificed
health and fortune with but limited results.
His successor was his eldest son, Alfred
krupp, who recently died, assisted at first
by younger brother who soon left the
place for other fields of industry. Alfred
klupp labored assiduously up to the year
1910, surmounting many difficulties, per-
forming days work as "a laborer, with no
encouragement or means, until finally by
great perseverance,. untiring energy and the
heIp Of few friends, his business began to
develop and flourish.
In 1914 he received gold Prussian medal
at the Berlin exhibition, and at the London
exhibition the Council medal for exhibit
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